Executing Agency: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)

Estimated Starting Date: January 1981

Government Inputs:

UNDP Inputs:

Signed:

on behalf of the Government

Date:

on behalf of the Executing Agency

Date:

on behalf of the United Nations Development Programme

Date:

PART I - LEGAL CONTEXT

This Project Document shall be the instrument referred to as such in Article I,
paragraph 1, of the Assistance Agreement between the Government of Jamaica and the United
Nations Development Programme, signed by the Parties on . The organizational
and procedural conditions governing the project are detailed in Annex I.1

PART II - THE PROJECT

II.A Development Objectives

The Government of Jamaica in its 5-year Development Plan (19 –19) has strongly
emphasized the need to increase food production, including aquaculture products. With this
aim in mind, the Government in 1977 started a large fish culture (Tilapis) project. The
Government now intends to diversify aquaculture activities and would like to embark on
freshwater prawn culture with a view to achieving the following development objectives:

to increase production of animal protein through development of aquaculture
for domestic consumption and export, and

to create employment opportunities and higher level of income for rural fish
farmers.

II.B Immediate Objectives

The immediate objectives of this pilot project are to determine the economic and
technical feasibility of culturing freshwater prawn (M. rosenbergii) in Jamaica, and to
train the local aquaculturists in both pond grow-out and hatchery technology.

II.C Special Considerations

None.

II.D Background and Justification

A large freshwater fish (Tilapia) culture project is in progress in Jamaica. The project
started in 1977 and by mid-1980, with the assistance of the Government, 120 small farmers
had started culturing fish. The Government's experimental and demonstration station at
Twickenham Park is well equipped and has ponds of varying sizes with a total water surface
area of approximately 2 ha. The Government also maintains a fish farm (32.8 ha) at Mitchell
Town, which is used for producing fingerlings as well as marketable food fish. Serious
considerations are now being given both by the public and private sectors to the establishment
of commercial Tilapia farms.

Attempts to culture freshwater prawn in Jamaica were made by private enterprises in the
early seventies. For various reasons, believed to be other than technical, these attempts
failed to achieve their objectives. During the last decade, the technology of freshwater
prawn culture (both hatchery and pond grow-out) has progressed to the extent that at present
a number of tropical countries are engaged in culturing freshwater prawns. The most noteworthy
among these ventures are the successful operations in Hawaii (U.S.A.) and Thailand.
In Hawaii the production system is based on sophisticated technology and as a result the
operations are capital intensive, whereas the Government of Thailand, with the assistance
of FAO/UNDP, has successfully developed appropriate low-level technology for culturing
freshwater prawns. At present in Thailand there are many prawn farms of varying sizes - from
commercial farms owned by private enterprises to small farmers culturing prawns in
village ponds, the latter being assisted by the Government through its extension services.
In 1979, Thailand had produced approximately 300 tons of freshwater prawns.

Like Thailand, Jamaica is a tropical developing country and the freshwater prawn
culture technology that has been developed there could be adapted to Jamaican conditions.
Moreover, Jamaica's internal market demand (including the tourist industry), as well as export
potential, also supports the rationale for starting such an operation in Jamaica.

For the purpose of this pilot project, the prawns will be raised in the existing ponds
at the fisheries station, Twickenham Park. For the first grow-out trial the ponds will be
stocked with imported post-larvae. A small hatchery will be established at an appropriate
location. In this regard, efforts will be made to establish a close working relationship
with the University of the West Indies. The hatchery is expected to produce a sufficient
number of post-larvae for subsequent grow-out experiments in ponds. At the end of the two-year
period the results of the pilot studies will be evaluated to determine technical and
economic feasibility of culturing freshwater prawns in Jamaica. Local production of post
larvae and juvenile and pilot scale grow-out studies are essential to determine the
feasibility of prawn farming in this country.

Training of local technical personnel in all aspects of freshwater prawn
culture.

II.F Activities

The following activities will be carried out under the project in order to produce
the above outputs.

Project Activities

Location

Period

Start

Finish

1. Import post-larvae for first stocking

From the region

1–2/81

1–2/81

2. First grow-out of imported post-larvae

Twickenham Park

1–2/81

7–8/81

3. Establish hatchery

Location to be selected

2/81

7/81

4. Hatchery operation

Location to be selected

8/81

12/82

5. Subsequent grow-out in ponds

Twickenham Park

10/81

12/82

II.G Inputs

1. Government inputs

Ponds at Twickenham Park and suitable physical facilities for a hatchery will be made
available by the Government. Full-time services of qualified technical staff will be provided
by the Government. The Government will also provide office facilities.

2. UNDP/FAO inputs

(a) International Staff

The project will require the services of an experienced prawn culturist for a period
of one year. Provision is also made for 2 m/m of specialised consultancy services
to be utilised as and when required.

(b) Training Provision

The full-time national technical officer as well as other part-time technical personnel
who are involved in the operation of this project will receive on-the-job training.

(c) Equipment

Provision is made for necessary equipment for pond grow-out and hatchery operation.
Provisions for a vehicle (Land Rover/van), vehicle maintenance and fuel have also been
made.

II.H Work Plan

A detailed work plan for the implementation of the project will be prepared by the
international expert in consultation with the national counterpart. This will be done at
the start of the project and up-dated periodically. A provisional work plan is given on
the following page.

II.K Institutional Framework

The Inland Fisheries Unit, Division of Agricultural Production, Ministry of Agriculture,
will be the Government Cooperating Agency for this project.

II.L Prior Obligations and Prerequisites

All project equipment and supplies will be imported duty free and will be exempt
from Government importation taxes and duties.

All Government inputs, including counterpart personnel, will be provided on a
timely basis.

The executing agency will provide an experienced freshwater prawn culture
expert and other consultants on a timely basis.

II.M Future UNDP Assistance

Further UNDP assistance in this field is expected to be made available at the end of
this project if the results of culture operations prove satisfactory. Assistance will then
be needed to construct and operate a prawn hatchery to supply post larvae expanded culture
operations, and to train extension officers in order to provide technical assistance to
freshwater prawn farmers.

PART III - SCHEDULE OF MONITORING, EVALUATION AND REPORTS

Progress reports are to be prepared at the end of every six months by the international
expert in cooperation with the national staff. The individual consultant will be required
to submit technical reports. The international expert will submit a final report on the
project. The information given will be guided by UNDP/FAO policies and procedures relating
to reports.

Note: Paragraphs II.I and II.J are standard paragraphs, not found necessary for inclusion
in this project document